Native Foods Blog: Going Bananas

by Chef Kendall Huff

Native Foods Cafe

I have been eating a lot of oranges lately. Not sure why, but I would eat one before I passed out on the couch (watching Futurama – just discovered…YES) every night. After about 2 weeks of this, I realized that I have been waking up a lot during the night. Odd I thought. So, I called the old herbal doc. She told me that the acid in the fruit was keeping me up, so eat a banana instead. Odd thoughts again began a brewing. I also noticed that my left leg was cramping up a lot. She also said, “Hey! Aren’t you a Chef? Don’t you know that the potassium in bananas helps fools like you that work on your feet all day?” So I starting looking into these yellow elongated fruit, since my health care advisor called me out on my own job!

12 Fun Banana Facts:

1. Bananas are high in iron for those anemic folks like myself!!

2. Have a hangover after your M83 concert? Try a banana soy milkshake. Bananas not only calm the stomach down, but they also reboots your system after the impressive amounts of toxins you put in there!

3. Bananas are a natural anti-acid and contain a soothing property.

4. Bananas are full of Vitamin B…and Vitamin B calms the nerves. Hey nervous Nelly…eat a nanner!

5. Avoid Leg craps? Are you a runner perhaps? Bananas are full of potassium, which helps normalize heartbeat after runs by sending oxygen to the brain! AND help regulate muscle contraction and prevent cramping.

6. The word banana means finger.

7- It is the only fruit that gets better when it’s picked before it’s ripe.

8- Comes in different colors (red, orange, yellow, green, and even pink).

9- The banana plant is not a tree. It is actually the world's largest herb!

10- If you peel them from the bottom, you won’t get stringy things.

11- You can use the inside of the peel to polish your shoe.

12- The average American eats 27# of bananas a year.

And of course there Day-O (Banana Boat) by Harry Belafonte:

Banana Co. – Radiohead

Bananas and... Whoa! - Ween

Top 4 Banana Cultures:

Manazano Banana

-Mild, strawberry apple flavor

Baby/Nino

-Sweet, creamy flavor, smallest

Red Banana

-Heartier and slightly sweeter than yellow, hint of raspberry

Cavendish (Chiquita)

-Largest seller in US

Pink Banana

-Very seedy and small, beautiful tropical plant look

And now a delicious recipe....

Banana Crumble

Crust:

3 cups flour

3 cups oats

2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 cups vegan butter (soft)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

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Combine the dry ingredients together in the mixer and swift together on low for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the butter in ½ cup at a time and mix well.
Reserve 1 cup of the crust. With the rest, butter and flour a pie pan. Evenly distribute the crust on the bottom of the pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Filling:

4 each bananas

16 oz vegan cream cheese

3 oz non-dairy milk

2 oz agave

1 TBSP vanilla extract

1. Place all ingredients together in a blender/food processor and mixing for 3 to 4 minutes or until all blended together.

2. Slice 2 bananas and layer them over the crust in the bottom of the pan.

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